The present invention relates to a method of guiding an operatorless car on a golf course.
A method of moving and guiding an operatorless cart by automatically switching the movement of a cart between a predetermined route movement and an S-shaped or zigzag-shaped movement is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Application No. 62-111,306 by applicants herein. According to the known method, a magnetic element is buried under the ground surface to form a marker line. Sensing means of the cart senses the marker line to drive the cart without an operator. In particular, there are independently provided marks for switching the movement on the marker line, and the sensing means of the cart is caused to sense them to switch the movements of the cart between the S-shaped or zigzag-shaped movement and the predetermined route movement along the marker line.
According to this technique, it is possible to move the car along an S-shape or zigzag-shape route on the fairway to avoid damages to the ground and the lawn, and move the cart along the predetermined route when the cart is to be moved as soon as possible, for example, on a road connection to a next hole. Since the movement is automatically switched, complicated operations of the cart are not necessary. In addition, the operatorless cart may be moved dependent on purposes of the golf course, and very useful effects are achieved.
However, when this technique is used, it is not only necessary to bury a magnetic element for forming a marker line but there is also a need to separately provide a switching mark for moving the cart, and its provision is labor-consuming.
Sensing means is required for reading two marks, a marker line and a switching mark, and this makes the structure of the sensing means complicated.
In addition, when the above technique is utilized, construction costs are relatively expensive, and this presents a problem.